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Anthony Bourdain’s Death Is Just Part of Our Larger Suicide Epidemic

Like most of you, I woke up today to news that Anthony Bourdain had died. I had a passing familiarity with him even though I was never a fan. About the only thing I really know about Anthony Bourdain is that he really, really hated Henry Kissinger, which makes him a good guy in my book. Even though I wasn’t a fan, my Twitter timeline was absolutely full of stories about Bourdain, and it seems like he had a positive effect on the lives of nearly everyone he came into contact with. No one had a bad word to say about him, and that’s something that won’t be true about Henry Kissinger when that war criminal motherfucker finally makes his way to hell.

Earlier in the week we also learned about the death of Kate Spade, someone I had never heard of, who apparently made handbags. I didn’t actually see a lot of stories about her, aside from the fact that she had died, but it’s still a little sad to learn any human being died by suicide.

Just yesterday the CDC published a report that says the suicide rate in the United States has increased by 25% in the period between 1999 and 2016. The leading method of suicide is our old friend the gun, which the study’s lead author says is the cause of death in roughly half of all deaths by suicide.

Yes, easy access to guns does make it easier for people who are inclined towards suicide to successfully complete an attempt, in addition to making it easier to kill a classroom full of children. But we haven’t banned them yet because it would be too hard for NRA members to get an erection without a pistol at hand.

Aside from the fact that people without easy access to firearms are less likely to successfully end their lives, there are no easy answers to the problems that cause suicide. We as a society just have to have empathy and support our friends and family when they need us. And if you need help, don’t be afraid to ask, you’re not a burden, and even though your pain is unimaginable, it can get better. No one will be better off if you kill yourself, unless you’re Henry Kissinger, in which case everyone will be better off.

Bourdain will be remembered favorably for his social advocacy as well as his travelogue show, Parts Unknown. But perhaps he could still be here, doing the things he loved and being with the people who loved him if he had been able to get the help he needed to deal with the pain he was dealing with. If you or someone you love are struggling with suicidal impulses, in the United States, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Call it and get the help you need. Please.

[Image: Peabody Awards]

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cat
cat
5 years ago

…’ But we haven’t banned them yet because it would be too hard for NRA members to get an erection without a pistol at hand.’… and who is the blithering idiot who thought this was his Deep Thought of the Day?

Apple
Apple
5 years ago

Henry Kissinger? God fucking damn, you’re a maroon, Eric.

Bob Adams
Bob Adams
5 years ago

Did Bourdain hang himself with a gun?

Guest
Guest
5 years ago

Whoever wrote this is a liberal idiot.

twolaneflash
twolaneflash
5 years ago

I’m not surprised. The hallmark of depression is an overblown sense of self-importance. In a world of celebrity culture, there’s an abundance of candidates for suicide finding themselves measured and wanting.

Danny
Danny
5 years ago

This is not strange to hear, people who suddenly feel at a loss, hopeless and think back with negative emotions and on a moment of weakness decide it’s time. What many people do not know is that since the late 90s with the placement of the 2g Celltowers, many individuals suddenly felt life became difficult to cope. As more and more people started to develop mental illnesses through this exposure, years have gone by and unknown to many why they had suddenly were “forced” into this mindset, 3g and wifi came along around the early 2000s. Yet another wave of… Read more »

Brian Bancroft
Brian Bancroft
5 years ago

The tragic and sudden suicide of Anthony Bourdain is a sadly captivating story that I can’t stop reading about. Unfortunately,writer, Eric Karnes, has decided to inject his liberal political attitudes into the article about Bourdain’s death and it’s just so self serving and aggravating to deal with. Whatever happened to journalists who remained objective and simply wrote about the actual subject matter and kept their personal political ramblings to themselves?